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Born to fight: MMAmania.com exclusive interview with Kurt Pellegrino Posted: 30 Mar 2008 09:10 PM CDT Boogers, breakdancing, and biting a hole through your bottom lip. When it comes to the three B's, Batman's done 'em all … and on national television. I caught up with Kurt Pellegrino to ask him his thoughts on his upcoming fight with Nate Diaz, how he got the "Batman" nickname in the first place, and all things Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Kurt says he's in better shape today than he has ever been in and looks to push the pace with Diaz, whether it's on the feet or on the ground. The fight takes place this Wednesday, April 2, at UFC Fight Night 13. Until then, here are his thoughts about the fight. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): We most recently saw you against Alberto Crane, earning the TKO victory in the second round and pushing your UFC record to 3-2. How good did it feel to get that win? Kurt Pellegrino: I think any win you get kinda feels the same, but…with my last fight, getting kicked in the face, almost being dead in the cage…It was bitter, bitter sweet. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): We'll next see you at Fight Night 13, this Wednesday, April 2, against Nate Diaz. What are your thoughts going into this fight? How important is a win? Kurt Pellegrino: Nate's a really tough kid—really durable. This fight's really important to me because the last time I fought someone from The Ultimate Fighter (Joe Stevenson at UFC 74), I lost. So I need this win, I need this win for my family—not for me, not to get my hand raised—just to make life a little bit smoother for me and my family. Every win to me is the same, but this is the one that's going to make the stars shine at night when I walk, so I really need this one. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Nate is a brown belt, I believe, under Cesar Gracie. Clearly, he relies heavily on the submission game, of which you're no slouch. How do you see this fight going, and how have you been preparing for Diaz? Kurt Pellegrino: Cardio. Cardio, cardio, cardio. When I got to the UFC, I fought Drew Fickett (at UFC 61), and I wasn't doing my cardio like normal. I just got married, I took that fight on a month's notice—actually three weeks—so I just worried about sparring and, you know, all the wrong things to do in MMA: sparring and grappling. Everyone does that, you know. (But if) you train with somebody and do a lot of cardio, cross-training, it's a lot different at that level. So for this fight, I know he's good on the floor. I'm ranked in the world in grappling. I've beat world champions. I went to Abu Dhabi. So I don't mind. If this kid comes in here, and I take him down and he submits me, then he deserves that victory, he deserves his hand raised, I'll be the first one to raise his hand. But stuff like that I just don't see happening, you know. He's a very tough opponent, but I think I'm going to be a little too much for him. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Do you plan to try to keep it standing? Kurt Pellegrino: I actually plan to keep it standing. I don't mind keeping it standing at all, but to be honest with you, I'm pretty curious to see how good he is on the floor. So I don't mind, I kinda hope it goes to the floor, either he takes me down or I take him down. Like I said, I've been Gracie training my whole life, so there's nothing that he's going to do that I haven't seen before in a jui-jitsu match. So if this fight goes to the floor, it's going to be exciting, because I'm going to be punching and passing, and he's going to be looking for submissions and probably punching. So you know it's going to be a good fight either way, whether it's on the floor or on our feet. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Well it's a fight that I'm really looking forward to, just to see how you guys match up. I heard that you have been training up in New Jersey, is that right? Kurt Pellegrino: Yes. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Were you previously training in Florida? Kurt Pellegrino: Well I live in Florida, but I had to go to New Jersey for my cousin's 30th birthday party. And my daughter turned 1, so we brought her home to New Jersey so our families could celebrate her birthday too. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): How did you first get into fighting? Kurt Pellegrino: I've been wrestling since I was five years old, and I think I was born into fighting. I failed college and had nothing else to do, so I started training jui-jitsu. I never went into this sport saying that I wanted to be a mixed martial arts fighter. I actually went into this sport saying I wanted to be a black belt in Brazilian jui-jitsu. And that's what I did. I accomplished my goal…and that's really all I wanted to do. I wanted to be a black belt in Brazilian jui-jitsu. It's not a fake belt; it's a real belt. It's not a belt that was given out; it's a hard-earned belt. But then fighting just came: "You wanna fight today?" Sure, okay. And then I kinda had a dream like everyone else has — of hey, you know I want to fight in the UFC. I moved to Florida because I just wanted to pursue my dreams and some other people wouldn't let me pursue my dreams at their school. And I went for it. I took a shot and it worked. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Not to put you in a spot where it sounds like you're looking past your next opponent, by any means, but with such a stacked Lightweight division, where you have veterans of the UFC like Sean Sherk and B.J. Penn, as well as fighters who are newer to the Octagon, like Mac Danzig (who you hold a win over)…besides if it were for a title shot, is there anyone who you would really like to fight in the division? Kurt Pellegrino: That's a really good question, because the first thing is, I gotta beat Nate Diaz before I even think about it, because if I don't beat Nate Diaz, then I have to fight someone who lost. But if I do beat Nate Diaz, then I get to fight someone who won. So if I could put my finger on anyone I'd like to fight, at this time in my career — you know, I'm turning 29 in May—if I could fight for a belt, if they think I'm ready for that, you know I definitely would jump at the opportunity. I'm turning 29 years old, and I don't want to do this sport for the rest of my life. If you could win the belt and hold it for a couple of years, that'd be pretty sick, you know? But there are a lot of good guys out there. Roger Huerta, he's out there — I would jump all over that fight. And … it doesn't matter to me. Whoever Joe Silva calls me up and says, "Kurt I want you to fight." You know, okay. I'm one of those guys: okay. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): How many fights do you have remaining on your contract? Kurt Pellegrino: This is my third, so I have two after this fight. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): What's the story behind your nickname "Batman"? Kurt Pellegrino: Short story, I was running late to a wrestling tournament. I always came in second place; I had never won one at this time. And I didn't pack my bag like my father told me to the night before. Like I said, we were running late, so I pulled a t-shirt out of the closet and a pair of sweatpants—not thinking, it was like four in the morning. By the time we got to the tournament, I saw that it was a Batman shirt and a pair of sweatpants. So I said, Dad, I can't walk around here—I'm in like seventh grade—with a Batman t-shirt on and a pair of sweatpants at a wrestling tournament. He's like, well, we'll go buy you one thing, either a pair of shorts or a shirt. So I kept the shirt, turned it inside out, bought a pair of shorts, and that was the first tournament I ever won. To this day, it's the same shirt I wear to every fight, every grappling match, the Abu Dhabi's, whatever. That's the shirt I wear. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Immediately after your fights, you seem to be memorable for so many reasons. First it was the booger that you got called out for on national television… Kurt Pellegrino: That was sweet. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): …then it was the breakdancing, which I have to say, was impressive… Kurt Pellegrino: Thank you. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): …and most recently with the Crane fight, you seemed to have bit through your bottom lip? Is that correct? Kurt Pellegrino: Yeah. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): You had a nasty, nasty hole there. What exactly happened there? Did you lose a tooth during the fight? Kurt Pellegrino: No, he actually kicked me in the face, and my bottom teeth went through my lower lip, creating a hole that took 16 stitches. So, it was pretty nasty. I stuck my pointer finger through it at the hospital. So, it was bad, it was bad. But it healed up in like eight days, took the stitches out and put Vaseline on it. Two days after that, I got a phone call, "You wanna fight Nate Diaz?" I was like, no, not really, because I want to eat and be fat and be married like Santa Claus. So I kept training. I went from one thing right to another. Took two weeks off, that's about it. So this is the best Kurt Pellegrino the UFC will ever see. I don't think I could ever get in this good of shape again, just because I've been training since December. It's crazy. I can't believe how much … I've had a lot of time, so I'm very happy. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Well I'm getting amped just talking about it. Fight Night 13 has some great matches scheduled. Who do you like in the main event, Kenny Florian or Joe Lauzon? Kurt Pellegrino: I think it's going to be a good fight, man. Two Boston guys fighting each other. They probably run into each other almost everyday in their hometown. It's a good fight for the fans, I'm sure the fans want to see it. Kenny Florian's a friend of mine, so I wish him good luck, and so is Joe, so I wish him good luck as well. They're both my friends, or acquaintances at least, so either one who wins is the better man that night, so it will be good. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Do you care to make any predictions? Kurt Pellegrino: I think Kenny might be able to edge this one out, just because you know, the experience of fighting all the time on T.V. and bigger crowds, bigger venues, he fought for a title … So he has a lot of experience walking into that cage. I think that's what's going to help him. His stand up is really really good. He works with (Mark) Dellagrotte. Kenny's a stud, so, we'll see what happens. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Well Kurt, I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with us. Lastly, would you like to thank any sponsors, and do you have any parting words for your fans? Kurt Pellegrino: Yeah. For all the fans, I just want to say thanks so much for sticking by my side, and Wednesday's going to be an awesome fight, so scream loud. For all my sponsors, like Ergophobia — I appreciate it guys, you guys rule. And MMAWarehouse , and my beautiful wife, Melissa Pellegrino, and Priscilla, my daughter, I love you girls, I'll be home soon. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Kurt, thanks again, and I look forward to seeing some more breakdancing moves inside the Octagon. Kurt Pellegrino: All right, I gotta get my arm raised first.

MMAmania.com black tees now available! Posted: 30 Mar 2008 03:04 PM CDT (Click on image above for larger version.) Ask and you shall receive. When we rolled out the MMAmania.com basic white t-shirt earlier this year, we were inundated with requests for a black version. Well, we did just that. And we upped the ante with a killer design and top-quality fabric. It’s a really sick shirt even though I know I am terribly biased. At any rate, thanks again for all the support. Purchasing our exclusive merchandise contributes significantly to our cause. We hope to roll out some other designs and options in the the near future. For now enjoy … and buy one, dammit! Size Medium $20.95Large $20.95X-Large $20.95

Report: UFC 85 to air on pay-per-view (PPV) Posted: 30 Mar 2008 12:32 PM CDT UFC 85 from the O2 Arena in London, England, on June 7, will be a pay-per-view (PPV) event, according to the most recent print edition of the Wrestling Observer newsletter. Dave Meltzer reports that he has received confirmation from the organization, which contradicts a recent statement from Rashad Evans that indicated it would air for free on SpikeTV. Evans is booked to fight the former 205-pound champion, Chuck Liddell, in the main event of the evening. Putting a Liddell fight on Spike at no cost didn’t really make much sense to begin with — he is the promotion’s top draw and most recognizable fighter. Look for UFC 85 to be marketed heavily with a 10 p.m. ET PPV start time, which will be on tape delay, and the LIVE broadcast to be available earlier on Saturday afternoon. That’s how the last few UFC shows abroad have worked, anyway. UFC 85 also features that heavyweight showdown between Fabricio Werdum and Brandon Vera, as well as a dynamite welterweight match up between Mike Swick and Marcus Davis. To check out the most recent rumored UFC 85 fight card click here.

Cung Le: Frank Shamrock fight came down to heart, soul and desire (Video) Posted: 30 Mar 2008 12:16 PM CDT

WECs Paulo Filho to resume training soon and eyes return Posted: 30 Mar 2008 12:08 PM CDT Props: Sherdog.com Quoteworthy: “The doctor has released Paulo from the rehabilitation center, and Monday he returns to train. Paulo is already running, making a diet, a set diet and from 102 kilograms (224 lbs) he has already dropped to 95 kilograms (209 lbs). He is leading a normal life and is well motivated. About his return, the WEC will decide the ideal date, but he will be ready when they call.” Jorge Guimaraes — the manager for WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho — talks about the recovery progress of his fighter. Filho was booked to rematch Chael Sonnen at this past Wednesday’s WEC 33 event. However, he had to pull out of the bout because of depression-related substance abuse and check into a rehab facility. Sonnen went on to fight and defeats Brian Baker at WEC 33, solidifying his status as the number one contender in the middleweight division. Could we see Filho-Sonnen II added to this June’s Faber-Pulver card? We’ll have to wait and see.

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The ego has landed: Recap and analysis from Strikeforce: ‘Shamrock vs. Cung Le’ Posted: 30 Mar 2008 02:52 AM CDT The HP Pavilion in San Jose had a final attendance of 16,326 for the Strikeforce: “Shamrock vs. Cung Le” event. Considering the stranglehold the UFC has on the casual MMA fan, that’s a pretty impressive number. What was even more impressive was watching Cung Le rise to the occasion against an opponent that many thought was too skilled for the San Shou warrior. Le is too green, Le has suspect conditioning, Le has no ground game. Ladies and gentlemen, Le is the new Strikeforce middleweight champion. Longtime fans will recall a similar scenario when a young, up-and-coming Ruskie named Fedor Emelianenko first challenged the PRIDE deity known as Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira. I’m not saying that Le is the next Fedor, but to be 6-0 with 6 (T)KO’s is an awfully good start. I’ve heard the conspiracy theories since the end of the fight, and to be perfectly honest, I’m not buying any of them. I’m not naive enough to think that no sporting event is ever fixed, but anyone who understands the motives behind fixing an event understands this was neither the time nor the place. Besides, I’ve been following Frank Shamrock long enough to know his ego would never allow him to roll over for anybody. And speaking of ego, it may have cost Shammy the fight. He wasn’t a lame duck by any means, and his striking was probably as good as I’ve ever seen it. The problem was that he couldn’t adjust to Le’s versatility in his kicks. There was no pattern. A lot of strikers are predictable. Low kick, straight right. High kick, spin. Le was all over the map. He uses kicks like Anderson Silva uses punches. They were coming from so many different angles that Frank could only defend and that kept him from getting inside. I kept waiting for Frank to go to the ground. But he promised to keep it standing, and I think in Frank’s eyes going to the ground would be admitting defeat. Conceding that Le is the superior striker may have been the only way for Shamrock to win. Still, Frank is a warrior and he can take punishment. He was close to ending it in the third but Le found a way to answer. To me that gives a level of credibility to his championship. This was not a flash KO, rather a three round war of attrition. From a striking perspective, it’s got my vote for fight of the year. And of course there is also the other end of the spectrum. I’m speaking of the world’s greatest streetfighter. No not Kimbo Slice, the other legendary streetfighter named Marlon Sims. Sims was KOed in the third round against Billy Evangelista. I don’t fault him for the loss, but he looked like a streetfighter in the process. In that I mean he looked like someone who was pulled off the streets and asked to fight. Gilbert Melendez retained his lightweight title by mauling Gabe Lemley but truth be told I didn’t think “El Nino” looked as sharp as he has in the past. Like his loss at Yarennoka, he left himself open on more than one occasion and fought a little recklessly. And speaking of reckless, did Gabe Lemley owe Herb Dean money? Lemley took a lot of punishment before getting rescued. Unfortunately no one could rescue Ryan Jensen. He was tough on the ground but the replay showed him trading blows with his eyes closed in a state of perpetual flinching. Not a good strategy against a seasoned guy like Joey Villasenor. Someone asked Wayne Cole what camp he was affiliated with to which Cole’s response was “My garage”. After the armbar he slapped on Mike Kyle, he should start shopping himself around. The Drew Fickett that phoned it in at the weigh-ins was thankfully nowhere to be found at tonight’s show. In his place was the venerable “Master” we’re used to and the way he dispatched Lim was an indication that he’s got his sights set on Jake Shields for June 14. And since we’re on the topic of the next Strikeforce event, can they please bring back the same dancers? Nothing like solid legs and a thick booty to get a stadium full of alpha males pounding on their chests (present company included). Overall this was a solid event. I have never heard a crowd pop like they did for the main event. They love MMA in San Jose and when you pull in the kind of attendance Strikeforce did you can bet they’ll be back. And so will I.

MMA Quick Quote: Snap, Crackle, Pop Posted: 30 Mar 2008 12:08 AM CDT “I knew it…I heard the bone snap…they showed me the X-Ray after the fight and I saw it was broken in half.” Newly crowned Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Cung Le discusses the devastating kick that broke Frank Shamrock’s arm - and ended the fight after three rounds.

Strikeforce: ‘Shamrock vs. Cung Le’ results and LIVE fight commentary Posted: 29 Mar 2008 06:54 PM CDT Strikeforce: "Shamrock vs. Cung Le" is set for tonight (Saturday, March 29) at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. The action will air live on Showtime at 9 p.m. ET with the main card action. And of course, MMAmania.com will provide LIVE fight-by-fight, round-by-round coverage at this time. In addition, we will begin posting quick results of the preliminary action at around 8:00 p.m. ET. Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the telecast to share their thoughts on the action. Therefore, feel free to leave a comment or 10 before you leave and chat with many of our readers during the show — it always turns out to be a great discussion. Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after the show. Quick results of the preliminary action are NOW FLOWING and LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of the main card action will begin promptly at 10 p.m. ET with the Showtime telecast. Strikeforce: “Shamrock vs. Cung Le” quick results: Jesse Jones (2-0) defeats Jesse Gillespie (1-1) via TKO/strikes (0:35 R1) Darren Uyenoyama (4-1) defeats Anthony Figueroa (4-2) via submission/guillotine choke (1:27 R1) Tiki Ghosn (10-7) defeats Luke Stewart (5-1) via unanimous decision Billy Evangelista (6-0) defeats Marlon Sims (3-3) via KO (0:49 R3) Joey Villasenor (25-6) defeats Ryan Jensen (11-4) via KO (4:45 R1) Wayne Cole (11-6) defeats Mike Kyle (9-6-1) via submission/armbar (0:42 R1) Gilbert Melendez (14-1) defeats Gabe Lemley (11-7) via TKO/strikes (2:18 R2) Drew Fickett (32-5) defeats Jae Suk Lim (9-4) via submission/guillotine choke (1:14 R1) Cung Le (6-0) defeats Frank Shamrock (24-9-1) via TKO/Doctor stoppage Strikeforce: “Shamrock vs Cung Le” main event results and live commentary: Joey Villasenor vs. Ryan Jensen (185-pound limit)            Round one: Villasenor jabs. Jensen answers. Jensen misses a kick. Villasenor ties him up. Jensen falls to the mat and pulls guard. Lots of squirming but no action. Villasenor grabs the cage. No action. Crowd rains down boos. Yamasaki just standing and staring. Villasenor postures up and lands a punch. Jensen gets to his feet. Stinging left drops Jensen who quickly recovers and answers with a combo that backs Villasenor up. Both fighters going for broke. Crushing right from Villasenor KO’s Jensen into a lifeless heap. Final result: Joey Villasenor defeats Ryan Jensen via KO (4:45 R1) -end- Mike Kyle vs. Wayne Cole (265-pound limit)         Round one: They meet in the center and briefly exchange but Cole quickly tosses Kyle to the mat. Cole in side control and leaps into an armbar. Kyle has nowhere to go and taps. Final result: Wayne Cole defeats Mike Kyle via submission/armbar (0:42 R1) -end- Kimbo Slice makes a guest appearance in the center of the ring to a standing ovation. That ovation quickly goes to uncomfortable silence when Kimbo mistakenly thinks he’s in San Francisco. Goldberg gives a tepid interview and sends him on his way. No announcement from Kimbo about his next opponent just a quick cameo for a cheap pop (as Mick Foley would say). Gilbert Melendez vs. Gabe Lemley (153-pound limit)       Round one: Lemley stalks and lands a jab. Melendez answers with a hook that stuns him. Melendez with a huge takedown.  Lemley tries for the guillotine but Melendez escapes. Melendez postures up and Lemley tries to triangle him so Melendez plops down into guard. Lemley again looks for the triangle and Melendez goes north south and back again. Lemley avoiding the mount.  Melendez gets some room and does some punching. Back into guard. Hammer fists score for Melendez. Back into guard and Melendez again lands with strikes from the top. Lemley is cut. Melendez is pouring it on. Herb Dean letting it go. Lemley seconds away from being stopped and gets saved by the bell. Round two: They trade on their feet and Lemley eats a HUGE right. And another. Melendez takes him down. Lemley in guard. Lemley taking punishment. Melendez to side control and fires at will. Lemley’s face looks like corned beef hash. Herb Dean takes his time but eventually stops the punishment.  Final result: Gilbert Melendez defeats Gabe Lemley via TKO/strikes (2:18 R2) to retain the Strikeforce lightweight championship. -end- Drew Fickett vs. Jae Suk Lim (170-pound limit)      Round one: Fickett charges and they tie up. Lim grabs Fickett’s crank. Center of the cage and Lim eats a left but answers with an uppercut. Fickett with a big takedown. Lim stands straight up into a guillotine. Fickett straddles him and sinks it DEEP. Lim tries for the slam but is too far gone. He falls to the mat and taps. Final result: Drew Fickett defeats Jae Suk Lim via submission/guillotine choke (1:14 R1) -end- After the fight Jake Shields gets called into the ring by a zealous Goldberg and they announce the Drew Fickett/Jake Shields fight for June 14. Both fighters talk tough about the contest but Fickett goes a little too far and predicts it will end in death by rear naked choke. To be sure everyone takes him seriously he then screams “ONE OF US WILL DIE!” Good stuff. Frank Shamrock vs. Cung Le (185-pound limit)   Round one: An exchange of kicks opens the bout. Frank catches a spinning back kick and grabs Le’s waist. Cung escapes and lands a combo. Stinging jab by Frank.  More kicks and a Le combo lands. Frank looks to shoot but decides against it. Punches and kicks are flying! Both fighters look crisp. Frank brings the heat and Le answers. Le’s speed is unbelievable. A spinning roundhouse by Le gets caught by Frank who dumps him to the cage. Le is bleeding from the mouth courtesy of a Shamrock knee. More exchanges and Frank looks like he’s getting the better of them. Round ends with Shamrock taunting Le. Round two: A Le kick sends Shammy’s mouthpiece flying. The pace slows but Le is starting to get the better of the striking. Le lands a right hook. Frank answers with a combo. Le finding his range with the kicks. Frank is taking punishment. Every exchange sees Le get sharper. Frank refuses to shoot. A Le kick deadens Shamrock’s leg. Round ends with Le pushing the pace. Round three: Le stiffens Shamrock with a liver kick. Then a combo for Le. Frank is getting owned on his feet. Le sweeps Frank off his feet who crashes to the mat. Frank is in trouble. Out of nowhere Shammy lands a huge right. Le is staggered. Frank attacks with a flurry. Shammy pouring it on. Le is in danger but fights back and lands a devastating body kick. Then a tremendous kick to the jaw. Frank is rocked. Le on the verge of ending it as time expires. Round four: Frank Shamrock is unable to answer the bell. Cung Le is declared the winner by TKO. Final result: Cung Le defeats Frank Shamrock via TKO/Doctor Stoppage to win the Strikeforce middleweight championship. -end- Shammy reports to the crowd of 16,326 that he suffered a broken arm and could not continue.

Matt Serra: Stylewise the worst match up for St. Pierre (Video) Posted: 29 Mar 2008 11:15 AM CDT Matt Serra and Georges St. Pierre interviews are everywhere lately and there are more than likely even more on the way prior to UFC 83 on April 19:

MMA Quick Quotes: Adrenaline MMAs Tim Sylvia and Ben Rothwell speak Posted: 29 Mar 2008 11:13 AM CDT Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia on Adrenaline MMA: “Adrenaline is a new promotion, but it allows fighters to fight for other organizations … that’s huge. I’ve got 3 to 4 years left and want to fight as much as possible, so this is the perfect choice for me at this time.” Former undefeated IFL star Ben Rothwell on Adrenaline MMA: “Adrenaline will give me the chance to take things to the next level. I’m ready to see how I fare against the best heavyweights in the world.” – Recent quotes contained within a press release from the newly-minted Adrenaline MMA promotion that shares some thoughts from its two biggest stars, Tim Sylvia and Ben Rothwell. Both fighters train at Miletich Fighting Systems in Bettendorf, Iowa, and are managed by Adrenaline MMA chief, Monte Cox. Dumb, smart or just plain strange decision making going on here?

Greg Jackson reveals the dark secrets of Gaidojutsu training Posted: 29 Mar 2008 11:03 AM CDT Here’s the proof for which everyone has been looking to confirm that Greg Jackson is the best trainer in all of mixed martial arts: (Thanks to BloodyElbow.com for the assist.)

Holy cow!: MMAmania.com exclusive sit-down with UFC fighter Tim Boetsch Posted: 29 Mar 2008 10:42 AM CDT One medieval throw of David Heath to the mat turned light heavyweight fighter Tim Boetsch into an overnight sensation in the UFC. Now Boetsch has the opportunity to go 2-0 in the UFC — in a span of two months — when he takes on Matt Hamill at Ultimate Fight Night 13, next Wednesday, at the Broomfield Event Center in Broomfield, Colo. "The Barbarian" took this fight on short notice, much like he did for his Octagon debut at UFC 81: “Breaking Point,” when he stepped in for Tomasz Drwal to face Heath. Once again, Boetsch is a replacement, stepping in for Stephan Bonnar, who was injured during training. Boetsch took the fight on eight weeks notice and believes that he will be ready to go come next Wednesday a winner. "I don’t think it’s too soon," Boetsch told MMAmania.com. "As long as I stay injury free, I wouldn’t mind fighting every two-three months." Boetsch boasts an impressive record (7-1) in MMA. In fact, his only loss was a decision to Vladimir Matyushenko at the 2007 IFL Semifinals, which took place last August. He now looks for his second straight win and knows this is a huge opportunity against Hamill if he wants to climb the long ladder in the UFC light heavyweight division. "I think it’s a huge opportunity. He’s got a real strong following from being on the Ultimate Fighter show," Boetsch said. "He’s had a lot of success in the UFC already and has already improved his game from when he started. He’s a very good athlete." Boetsch is aware that he is the underdog coming into this fight against Hamill. “I’m quite the underdog coming into this fight and that’s fine by me," Boetsch said. "I’m really excited to get the opportunity and show people what I can do in there." Boetsch has been fighting in the sport of MMA since fall 2006. He made his debut against Demian Decorah at Madtown Throwdown — A Wisconsin-based promotion. Boetsch won the fight by submission via strikes in the third round. After his fight with Matyushenko, Boetsch saw he had a chance to get into the UFC and took full advantage. His first fight in the UFC was against Heath. And he wasn’t concerned about jitters of fighting for the first time inside the eight-sided cage. "Everybody talks about those first time in the Octagon jitters and of course being in Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, you don’t get much bigger than that," Boetsch said. "I kept my head on straight, stayed focus and didn’t get caught up in the hype. Nerves really weren’t a factor for me that first fight.” Boetsch defeated Heath by TKO (strikes). Boetsch finished the fight by kneeing Heath and then throwing him to the mat. Boetsch was stunned, much like the rest of the fans watching at Mandalay Bay and at home that night. "It was like, holy cow, he went down hard," Boetsch said. "He was rocked from taking some knees and some other shots, his equilibrium was off a little bit and then on top of the big throw, his head bounced off the floor and that just sealed the deal for me." Boetsch does not expect to throw Hamill down, like he did with Heath. Hamill is fighting in the UFC for the first time since his controversial decision loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 75. Boetsch expects Hamill to come out swinging and ready to go. "I expect him to come out guns blazing, throwing heavy hands and firing some big takedowns," Boetsch said. "I’m ready for him." Boetsch is on the second fight of a three fight contract. If all goes well for him next Wednesday night, Boetsch will certainly be a star in the UFC for a long while. Especially if history can somehow repeat itself.

WEC 33 fighter paydays for Marshall vs. Stann Posted: 29 Mar 2008 10:39 AM CDT MMAmania.com (www.mmamania.com) yesterday received the fighter payouts for WEC 33: “Marshall vs. Stann” from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) for the event held on March 26 at Hard Rock Joint and Casino in Las Vegas. Chael Sonnen didn't get the opportunity to compete for a world title, but cashed in after his three-round domination of Brian Baker. Sonnen was the highest earner of this past Wednesday's event, getting a check for $34,000 bananas. Not to be outdone, new WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Brian Stann collected his share of the Benjamins (18,000), while the deposed 205-pound kingpin, Doug Marshall, raked in $10,000. Here are all of WEC 33 payouts: Brian Stann — $18,000 ($9,000 to show, $9,000 to win) Doug Marshall — $10,000 Stann defeated Marshall via TKO (strikes) in round one Chael Sonnen — $34,000 ($17,000 to show, $17,000 to win) Brian Baker — $5,000 Sonnen defeated Baker via unanimous decision Marcus Hicks — $10,000 ($5,000 to show, $5,000 to win) Ed Ratcliff — $7,000 Hicks defeated Ratcliff via submission (guillotine choke) in round one Steve Cantwell — $8,000 ($4,000 to show, $4,000 to win) Tim McKenzie — $6,000 Cantwell defeated McKenzie via submission (rear naked choke) in round one Richard Crunkilton — $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win) Sergio Gomez — $11,000 Crunkilton defeated Gomez via unanimous decision Hiromitsu Miura — $8,000 ($4,000 to show, $4,000 to win) Blas Avena — $6,000 Miura defeated Avena via knockout (strikes) in round one Brock Larson — $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win) John Alessio — $15,000 Larson defeated Alessio via DQ (illegal knee) in round one Alex Serdyukov— $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win) Ryan Stonitsch — $12,000 Serdyukov defeated Stonitsch via submission (triangle choke) in round one *Chris Manuel — $3,000 *Kenji Osawa — $5,000 Manuel and Osawa fought to a spilt draw *There was no win bonus awarded due to both men fighting to a draw Now is time for your friendly reminder: The salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments. Deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc. are also excluded. For complete WEC 33 results and coverage click here and here.

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UFC officially agrees to release Tim Sylvia from contract Posted: 28 Mar 2008 08:40 PM CDT Former UFC heavyweight champion, Tim Sylvia, and the organization have mutually agreed to part ways, according to a recent interview that just aired on “Inside MMA” on the HDNet network. The “Maine-iac” had one fight remaining on his existing deal. During the announcement, he also revealed that he has signed on with the former M-1 Global promotion, which has been renamed to “Adrenaline MMA” after a recent split with its Russian counterpart. In addition, Monte Cox — the head of Adrenaline MMA and Sylvia’s long-time agent — broke news that former IFL heavyweight stand out, Ben Rothwell, has also been inked to a deal. Sylvia mentioned that the split was amicable and that he intends to return to the Octagon later in his career. The Miletich-trained fighter first debuted with the organization back in 2002, stopping Wesley “Cabbage” Correira via technical knockout at UFC 39: “The Warriors Return.” Sylvia later went on to capture the heavyweight title on two different occasions when he stopped Ricco Rodriguez in 2003 and later Andrei Arlovski in 2006.

Weigh-in results for Strikeforce: ‘Shamrock vs. Cung Le’ Posted: 28 Mar 2008 06:03 PM CDT The field of 18 fighters for Strikeforce: "Shamrock vs. Cung Le" all tipped the scales earlier today at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, for the Showtime broadcast that is set to go off tomorrow evening at 10 p.m. ET. Though not everything went according to plan. For starters, Strikeforce pillar and middleweight champion Frank Shamrock came in at 186 lbs. Since his fight with Cung Le is for the 185 lb title, no one-pound allowance is permitted. Frank stripped and did some funky breathing but still came in at 185.25. He disappeared for roughly twenty minutes and returned to the scales at an even 185. The Strikeforce brass did not seem amused. Neither did Luke Stewart, who was forced to pose solo after Tiki Ghosn went missing in action and no-showed the weigh-ins. Rounding out the fun was a lethargic and rather blase Drew Fickett, who not only came in two pounds overweight, but looked extremely apathetic towards the entire event. In fairness to him and other Strikeforce competitors, it has been a bit chaotic these past few weeks with all of the changes to the scheduled fight card. Here are the official results: 185 lbs.: Frank Shamrock (185) vs. Cung Le (183) 155 lbs.: Gilbert Melendez (154.5) vs. Gabe Lemley (153) 185 lbs.: Ryan Jensen (186) vs. Joey Villasenor (185) 172 lbs.: Drew Fickett (171)* vs. Jae Suk Lim (170) 170 lbs.: Luke Stewart (171) vs. Tiki Ghosn (171)* 162 lbs.: Marlon Sims (162.5) vs. Billy Evangelista (160.5) 205 lbs.: Mike Kyle (225) vs. Wayne Cole (209) 175 lbs.: Jesse Jones (173.5) vs. Jesse Gillespie (180) 136 lbs: Darren Uyenoyama (136) vs. Anthony Figueroa (133) *Drew Fickett was able to make weight in the allotted time and Tiki Ghosn was finally tracked down for his weigh-in. Reminder: The televised portion of the Showtime broadcast begins Saturday, March 29, at 10 p.m. ET. We will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of the main card action at this time when the event begins to air from the HP Pavilion in San Jose. Quick results of the Strikeforce event, however, will begin to flow earlier than that here at MMAmania.com at about 8:00 p.m. ET with the preliminary fights. Feel free to hit us up before, during and after the show for some good discussion and coverage — it should be an interesting night of mixed martial arts (MMA) action. See you all tomorrow at (and on) Showtime.

Georges St. Pierre on Matt Serra UFC 83 fight (Video) Posted: 28 Mar 2008 03:16 PM CDT UFC interim welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre responds to this below: For more video footage of “Rush” training for his showdown with Matt Serra at UFC 83: “Serra vs. St. Pierre 2″ on April 19 click here.

Frank Shamrock vs. Cung Le Cage Cam on Sho.com Posted: 28 Mar 2008 01:58 PM CDT Showtime will attempt to bring fans a little closer to the Strikeforce action on Saturday night as it rolls out the “Showtime Cage Cam” for the main event fight between Frank Shamrock and Cung Le live from San Jose, Calif., at the HP Pavilion. It will either be a referee-mounted camera similar to the Pride FC glory days or one of those cameras used in NBA or NFL games that hangs from a cable above the action and is controlled by remote. Both are possibilities at this time. Regardless, fans who do or do not have the Showtime premium cable network will be able to watch the unique perspective provided by the Cage Cam live on Sho.com during the fight. And if you miss the live feed it will be available on demand on Sho.com following the match. This might come in handy to get an up close look at Shamrock’s ribs breaking from Cung Le’s body kicks or Cung’s facial expressions as Shamrock drops him with that right hand. Either way this could be very cool for fans. Check it out on Saturday night and see how it works.

Quinton Jackson: Forrest has a glass jaw and punches like a crack head Posted: 28 Mar 2008 10:42 AM CDT (Thanks to MMAmania.com reader “juanito” for the assist.)

UFC Quick Quote: To be the best you have to beat the best Posted: 28 Mar 2008 09:41 AM CDT “Fighting Randy Couture is one of the things that motivated me to fight in the UFC…. Once you have the title, you have to defend it. He and Fedor are some of the best fighters in the world but if they want to be THE best then they have to fight here in the UFC. If they want to have any belt in any organization they have to be prepared to fight the best fighters in the world every two or three months — that’s how you hold the title.” – UFC Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira speaks the truth in a recent interview with the Press-Telegram. However, the recent — and possible — departures of some key players such as former champions Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia, in addition to Couture, could leave the UFC heavyweight cupboard looking rather barren. Nogueira, Frank Mir, Brandon Vera, Fabricio Werdum, Heath Herring, Cheick Kongo, Brock Lesnar, Mark Coleman, Gabriel Gonzaga, as well as promising prospects Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez, would essentially be the crux of the top talent in a worse case scenario. Is that good enough to be considered the best?

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UFC 83 card set for Serra vs. St. Pierre 2 fights in Montreal Posted: 28 Mar 2008 08:52 AM CDT Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) today confirmed what we have known for some time now: The 11 fights booked for the UFC 83: “Serra vs. St. Pierre 2″ pay-per-view (PPV) event from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, on Saturday, April 19, are now all official — we can remove the “rumor” tag from those that were up until recently unconfirmed. Here’s the complete line up: Main Event: UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Serra vs. Interim UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre Main card (televised): 185 lbs.: Rich Franklin (22-3) vs. Travis Lutter (9-4) 185 lbs.: Kalib Starnes (8-2-1) vs. Nate Quarry (9-2) 185 lbs.: Michael Bisping (15-1) vs. Charles McCarthy (10-4) 155 lbs.: Mac Danzig (17-4-1) vs. Mark Bocek (5-1) Under card (may not be broadcast): 185 lbs.: Jason MacDonald (19-9) vs. Joe Doerksen (39-11) 185 lbs.: Alan Belcher (12-4) vs. Jason Day (15-5) 185 lbs.: Ed Herman (14-5) vs. Demian Maia (6-0) 155 lbs.: Sam Stout (13-3-1) vs. Rich Clementi (30-12-1) 265 lbs.: Cain Velasquez (2-0) vs. Brad Morris (10-2) 170 lbs.: Jonathan Goulet (21-9) vs. Kuniyoshi Hironaka (11-4) This marks the first UFC foray into Canada, which has unsurprisingly created quite a buzz north of the United States border. In fact, tickets to the event were essentially sold out to the 20,000-seat arena during the exclusive presale. That has a lot to do with the participation of local favorite and one of the top mixed martial artists on the planet, Georges St. Pierre. “Rush” will look to reclaim his 170-pound strap when he rematches reigning welterweight champion, Matt Serra. Important middleweight bouts round out the entire main card for the most part, including an intriguing showdown between former 185-pound titleholder, Rich Franklin, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu stylist, Travis Lutter. That’s going to be a great fight and an interesting contrast in styles — Rich prefers to bang, while Travis prefers to roll. Season three winner of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), Michael Bisping, will also make his highly anticipated middleweight debut when he takes on “Captain Miserable” himself, Charles McCarthy. From the opening to closing bell, the atmosphere inside the Bell Centre is going to be absolutely electric for UFC 83. Let’s hope the fights live up to the expectations … if that’s even possible.

Frank Shamrock, Cung Le and Nick Diaz pre Strikeforce fight interviews (Video) Posted: 28 Mar 2008 08:20 AM CDT Frank Shamrock and Cung Le pre-fight press conference interviews after the jump. Frank: Cung:

WECs Leonard Garcia involved in Lubbock, Texas, cocaine ring bust Posted: 28 Mar 2008 08:08 AM CDT World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) featherweight fighter, Leonard Garcia, was recently among 13 suspected individuals arrested for allegedly being involved in a major drug trafficking organization in Lubbock, Texas, according to KCBD.com. Here’s a snip: “NewsChannel 11 has learned one of those arrested is mixed martial arts fighter Leonard Garcia. He was arrested Tuesday in allege connection with the cocaine ring. Garica is currently ranked sixth in the featherweight class in MMA. He has fought in UFC and Ultimate Fighting championships.” Garcia is perhaps best known for losing a three-round war against Roger Huerta at UFC 69: “Shootout” in April 2007. He recently transitioned to the WEC and dropped down to 145 pounds, taking out Hiroyuki Takaya via technical knockout in his debut earlier this year. After the bout he lobbied for a title shot against WEC Featherweight Champion, Urijah Faber, which is even more unlikely with this recent bad news. The report reveals that all of the suspects under arrest have conspired to sell cocaine going back to as early as 2001. And the “Bad Boy,” if convicted, could face up to 40 years in prison and up to a $2 million fine or life in prison and up to a $ 4 million fine. Clearly, these are extremely serious charges that apparently were four years in the making. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty. (Thanks to MMAmania.com reader “skatanicus” for the assist.)

Rampage Jackson: Wanderlei Silva is the ‘Chump Murderer’ Posted: 27 Mar 2008 08:18 PM CDT Props: LoHudBlogs.com Quoteworthy: “I think that if I fought Wanderlei Silva in the UFC I would have beat him. Wanderlei was the Chuck Liddell of Pride. If you were beating Wanderlei on the ground, the referee's would stand you right up. It happened to me. It happened to other fighters that fought him…. Me and Silva don't even talk to each other. Silva is the type of guy that thinks everyone should be afraid of him. The way I react around him is different. I am not afraid of Wanderlei Silva. They call him ‘The Axe Murder’ because he destroys people in his fights. They threw him chumps and he murdered them. Look at his record of guys he fought. This guy is ‘The Chump Murderer.’ I speak my mind around him and he looks at me all crazy like I shouldn't be saying that. I think some of the referees took payoffs in Pride. In Japan, I promise you something was up.” While a guest on the Opie and Anthony radio show, reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson reflected on his two crushing losses to Wanderlei Silva while the two competed under the Pride FC banner overseas in Japan. It’s widely believed that Silva will drop down to middleweight after his upcoming fight with Keith Jardine at UFC 84: “Ill Will,” which would put a damper on seeing a third match up — this time inside the Octagon — anytime soon. (Thanks to MMAmania.com reader “john” for the assist.)

Strikeforce MMA on NBC Saturday nights Posted: 27 Mar 2008 07:36 PM CDT As expected, Strikeforce and NBC have struck a deal to air a weekly half-hour long mixed martial arts series dubbed "Strikeforce on NBC" on late night network television, beginning on April 12 at 2 a.m. ET. Here's a snip from Strikeforce Chief Executive Officer Scott Coker: “It's truly an honor to have the opportunity to bring the Strikeforce mixed martial arts product to one of the longest-standing and most well-respected national television platforms. NBC has a history of popular late Saturday TV and in the 80's NBC's 'Saturday Night's Main Event' show helped catapult the popularity of professional wrestling. Strikeforce is looking to follow in suit and establish a legacy of its own on the network.” According the release, “Strikeforce on NBC” will follow “Poker After Dark,” hitting a demographic (18 to 34-year-old males) that dovetails with its current target audience. Episodes will be prerecorded and showcase some of the top fighters, fights and storylines of the San Jose, Calif.-based promotion. For example, the premiere episode is expected to shine the spotlight on Cung Le, airing his fight against Brian Warren, as well as providing a profile on the popular San Shou fighter-turned mixed martial artist. This is big news for Strikeforce, which has only been promoting professional MMA bouts for little more than two years. However, the quality of the fights and fighters are solid. And exposure on network television — regardless of the time slot — means that bigger and better things more than likely loom on the horizon.

Billy Evangelista vs. Marlon Sims Strikeforce fight booked Posted: 27 Mar 2008 04:10 PM CDT The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 5 cast member and legendary (in his own mind) street brawler Marlon Sims (3-2) is set to return to action against super tough up-and-comer Billy Evangelista (5-0) in a 155-pound bout this weekend on the Strikeforce: “Shamrock vs. Cung Le” under card. No major site is reporting this match up — not even ProElite.com or Strikeforce. However, Strikeforce Vice President Mike Afromowitz today confirmed the showdown with MMAmania.com. Sims has had one fight since his backyard brawl with Noah Thomas on the set of TUF 5, losing to Pat Minihan via submission (rear naked choke) in December 2007. Evangelista, on the other hand, has been turning heads on the local Fresno, Calif., scene with his undefeated record and fantastic promise. He trains with the prestigious American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) camp, which has some of the most talented fighters in the sport on its roster. Don’t expect this one to go the distance.

UFC Quick Quote: Frank Edgar focused on winning … and Gray Maynard Posted: 27 Mar 2008 03:48 PM CDT “I’m definitely one of the players in the weight class. It might depend on the outcome of this fight and a couple of other fights in the UFC. The 155-pound class is definitely one of the most stacked in the UFC…. Every fight is important for position. If you lose, you’re pretty much out of the picture for a while. It (the competition for a title shot) is pretty vicious. You’re only as good as your last fight…. You get better by winning. If you win, everything takes care of itself. You get what you want to get out of it. I know this is going to be a tough fight. He (Maynard) is big, strong, has heavy hands and comes from a good camp.” – UFC lightweight contender Frank Edgar tells his hometown rag, The Asbury Park Press, that his fight next week against Gray Maynard at UFC Fight Night 13 is important if he wants to remain in the 155-pound title chase. In fact, he says that every fight is equally important … and he’s right — especially in a division so stacked. I wasn’t too thrilled when this match up was first announced, but it’s grown on me over time. Hopefully, it’s an action-packed, fast-paced back-and-forth war.

Mirko Cro Cop gym in Croatia with new Throwdown cage (Video) Posted: 27 Mar 2008 03:34 PM CDT

UFC Fight Night 13 results and LIVE fight commentary Posted: 27 Mar 2008 03:30 PM CDT UFC Fight Night 13 is less than one week away, taking place at the Broomfield Event Center in Broomfield, Colo., on Wednesday, April 2, 2008. It’s a three-hour SpikeTV special that will begin at 7 p.m. ET, leading in to the debut of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 series at 10 p.m. Of course, MMAmania.com is set to provide LIVE fight updates for the under card action, as well as blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage on the main card action all night long (not to mention a complete write up of the TUF 7 opener). Needless to say but it’s going to be a rather busy and exciting night for mixed martial arts fans. Top lightweight contenders Kenny Florian and Joe Lauzon will square off in the main event of the evening on a show that is absolutely loaded with great match ups from top to bottom. Here’s the complete line up: Main event: 155 lbs.: Kenny Florian (7-3) vs. Joe Lauzon (16-3) Main card (televised): 170 lbs.: Karo Parisyan (18-4) vs. Thiago Alves (13-3) 205 lbs.: Matt Hamill (3-1) vs. Tim Boetsch (7-1) 155 lbs.: Nate Diaz (8-2) vs. Kurt Pellegrino (11-3) 205 lbs.: Houston Alexander (8-2) vs. James Irvin (13-4) Under card (may not be broadcast): 155 lbs.: Frank Edgar (8-0) vs. Gray Maynard (4-0) 155 lbs.: Marcus Aurelio (15-5) vs. Ryan Roberts (8-2) 155 lbs.: Din Thomas (20-7) vs. Josh Neer (23-6-1) 155 lbs.: Manny Gamburyan (7-2) vs. Jeff Cox (9-4) 155 lbs.: Clay Guida (22-9) vs. Samy Schiavo (10-4) 170 lbs.: George Sotiropoulos (8-2) vs. Roman Mitichyan (5-1) 170 lbs.: Tommy Speer (9-2) vs. Anthony Johnson (4-1) Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the SpikeTV telecast to share their thoughts on the action. Therefore, feel free to leave a comment or 10 before you leave and chat with many of our readers during the show — it always turns out to be a great discussion. In the meantime feel free to share your thoughts and predictions in the comments section below. Keep in mind that MMAmania.com will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after UFC Fight Night 13. Can’t wait.

DREAM 2008 Middleweight Grand Prix continues to take shape Posted: 27 Mar 2008 02:59 PM CDT The Japanese-based DREAM mixed martial arts promotion recently announced three more bouts for its upcoming middleweight grand prix tournament slated for the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on April 15. Fan favorites Denis Kang (29-9-1) and Kazushi Sakauraba (23-10-1) will take part in the competition albeit with separate opening-round opponents. Kang — who is coming off a knockout loss to Yoshihiro Akiyama — will look to redeem himself as he goes up against Gerald Mousasi (20-2-1). Sakauraba, on the other hand, is riding a two-fight win streak after defeating Masakatsu Funaki (38-12-1) by armbar at K-1 Dynamite last New Year’s Eve. He will take on Andrews Nakahara in the first round of the tournament. In addition, a fight between Kioyshi Tamura and Masakatsu Funaki has been booked for the second-ever DREAM show next month. Here’s how the first round of the event currently shapes up: Kazushi Sakauraba (23-10-1) vs. Andrews Nakahara (0-0-0) Denis Kang (29-9-1) vs. Gerald Mousasi (20-2-1) Kiyoshi Tamura (28-14-0) vs. Masakatsu Funaki (38-12-1) Yoon Dong Sik vs. TBA Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. TBA Shungo Oyama vs. TBA Kin Taiei vs. TBA Minowaman vs. TBA Dae Won Kim* Mamed Khalidov* Daniel Acacio* Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza* *Rumored participants The DREAM 2008 Middleweight Grand Prix is shaping up to be a competitive event. It’s going to be a great first round. Stay tuned for more details.

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